sxevan9

I'm sticking with the plan to the word. My plan is three shakes a day, 64oz water or flavored selza and one meal which consist of 4oz of lean poultry (6 oz if I eat a white fish, like Talipa) and 1 cup of cooked non starch vegetables. Oh yeah I can also have five squirts of I can't belive it is not butter and 1 tsp of olive oil. Today is the first day and i'm not going to lie it is a challenge, but nothing I can't manage. I'm so committed to this new life I will do what I have to.....

I think you also have to take in account the type of WLS surgey they had...gastric bypass. I've heard that with the gastric bypsss you can actually stretch your pouch back out if you continue with the same eating habits. Now that isn't to say that the same can't happen with the band, but I belive that since the band requires fill for restriction it may be harder. I have a friend who had gastric bypass. She lost a large amount of weight very quickly, when she found out through a mutual friend I was having Lapband she called to tell me what she went through. She has gained almost all the weight back that she lost and is now considering lapband and again this after gastric. She said her problem is when she realized she could still eat what she wanted.. Burguers, fries, milkshakes whatever just in smaller amounts she did. Eventually all the weight she lost creeped back. So with that WLS is a tool not the answer. You still have to make the right choices even after the procedure. She also didn't have any support, which I think will help us all out.... This was a little long, but hopefully it answered some of your questions.

My WLS is scheduled for 10/23 which is Thursday. I'm taking the rest of that week off and the following week, so that is about 7 work days plus the weekends which comes out to 11 days. Hope that helps

Finally after all the back and forth with the doctors office to get my paperwork submitted:angry_smile:. Appointment after appointment:thumbdown:. Cigna approved me on Tuesday, September 23rd. :wink2:. Of course the doctors office didn't call me. I called Cigna this morning and found out (three days later) and than called the doctors office this morning and received my date... drum roll please OCTOBER 23RD. Gosh you ladies know how happy I am right now. Of course you do. I guess that makes me a Smashing Pumpkin. :tongue2:

Thanks everybody.... for the words of inspiration. Again this is long awaited and I know the time will go buy fast. I just can't wait

First I want to know if anybody has used Dr. Brody @ George Washington University in Washington DC.:biggrin: I'm seriously considering changing my doctor. Or do you guys think I'm just not being patient. I finished my six month superivised weight mangement on Septmeber 3rd and faxed all my information to the doctors office on Septmeber 4th.:thumbup: It is now Septmeber 15th and my paperwork has not been submitted to my insurance company. :mad:I find myself having to call the office daily for updates and I'm getting no where. One week after sending my paperwork I was told they couldn't make out my lab work and needed a copy of my last physical. WHY did it take a week to ask for this information. I immediatley left my job went to my doctors office got the information needed and faxed it to the office. This was last Tuesday and today still my information has not been sent to the insurance company. I'm being told that they are waiting on the nurse to give the okay. DANG how long does this take. So now I'm just tired of them dragging and I'm considering finding another surgeon. What do you think. Should I be patient and wait or is enough enough. Please provide your thoughts. :tt1::confused::confused:

Well I have an update on my battle with the Doctors office. I was told by the admin that the paperwork was submitted Tuesday morning, and low and behold as of yesterday the insurance company still had no record. I had to call back and AGAIN :smile2:. Of course she said she sent it but will send it again. I asked her for the fax number she was sending it to and the specfic department, after she gave me the information she said that she would send it AGAIN. :thumbup:. Less than two hours later she called me back and said she sent it AGAIN and provided me with a case number. Guess what.. she had no case number from Tuesday. :smile:. Anyway as of this morning Cigna has my paperwork and my request is being processed. Tell me:confused: Why did I have to call two weeks straight to make sure the doctors office did what they are suppose to do. This entire process has been very hard, from all the Nutrition Appointments, Phyc Eval, Physical and whatever else I may have forgot. But in the long run it is worth it when I can finally join the world of the banded. :smile:

I must also agree Mo looks great in this month issue of Essence. Noticed right off how she had lost weight even before reading the article. I honestly was wondering if she had been bannded :thumbup:. Heard some rumors at one time that she had some kind of surgery, but whatever it is she looks good.. so keep up the good work Monique. Ebony Rose I'm with you being a 40ish woman. I carry myself well at all times, if I say so myself :smile2: but do look forward to treating myself to something FANTASTIC when I reach goal. Think I will buy it sooner than later to have it for inspiration. :smile:

That is wonderful news. I'm glad the surgery went well and your recovery is also going so good....and 7lbs in one week sure is something to smile about :thumbup:. Can't wait to join the world of the banded :smile2:. Keep us posted on your progress

Quick question for you Movinggirl, you said you was banded at George Washington Hospital. Did you use Dr. Brody? If so what was your expeirence with the staff. I'm a little dissapointed with them so far. I sent over all of my paperwork last on September 4th and they just sent everything to the insurance company yesterday and of course when I checked with the insurance company they still don't show it being received. I'm honestly considering going to another facility, but I'm trying to get somebody else experience first. Thanks

That is good news... I'm so happy for you and wish you nothing but good luck.

I'm so sorry to hear you are being taken through so much drama. What kind of insuranse do you have? I thought as long as your BMI was 40 and you jumped through all the hoops most insurance companies processed the request within 10-12 days. Is it anyway you can ask your Nutrionist to provide additional information while you still go through the apeal process? Good luck and don't give up...

I'm sorry to hear your appointment was reschudled again and feel you pain as far as dealing with rude people, but try to remember this process will wear you down if you let it...it isn't easy. It has been times when I swear I've just screamed, but I'm so greatful that I have the support of family, friends and everybody on this site. Hang in there and just think about the end rewards. Good Luck

I wish I would have known about this office before I started with my Drs office at GW Hospital. Well that may not be fair, Dr. Brody is nice I'm just a little upset with the secretary as she has been sitting on my paperwork since last thursday and has not submitted it to the insurance company, but I'm going to get on her nerves until she gets off her butt. I don't know of a geneal practioner to refer you to, but if you have a PPO Inurance you really don't need a referal to see the surgeon. Good Luck

I'm glad you are doing well after surgery. Don't do to much to soon and I look forward to hearing about your experience.

CONGRATULATIONS..... I know how you feel. September 17th will be here before you know it. Maybe we will be surgery buddies, it is looking like my date will also fall in October. Again Cograts on reaching such a milestone to a new you

Good Luck April...I know the surgery is over and you are recovering at this time, but just know you are in my thoughts.

I'm so happy :crying:.. I finally have everything needed for surgery. I just faxed all my information to the Drs. Office and I' m hoping that they will have a quick turn around submitting everything to the insurance company. OMG has this been a process. You can't imagine how many times I've been on the brink of just screaming :mad: because of this process, but all in all it was well worth it .. I swear I know I gave them more than enough information so hopefully the doctors office won't drag and the insurance company will get back soon. I'm going to give them (insurance company) 10 days before I start calling them.. I will probably put them on my cell phone as a speed dial ... they better not mess with me. Okay just wanted to share...

Well I called the insurance company today and low and behold that secretary at the doctors office has not even sent my paperwork yet. Can you imagine how pissed I am right now :thumbdown:. So of course I used my professional voice and called the doctors office and she said "Oh I'm waiting for the nurse to tell me this everything" granted this is the samething she said Thursday when I faxed. So she was suppose to call me back once she talked to the nurse..that was 9:30 am this morning and by 2:20 I called back..and of course she hasn't had a chance to talk to the nurse because he is in clinic all day, but she assured me she would call me before the office closed today. How much you want to bet she didn't call me. So first thing tomorrow morning who will be the first call she will receive. Doesn't these people know how hard it was to do this six month weight managment to just sit on my paperwork. Sorry for being so long.

I'm one appointment away from receiving my letter from my Nutritionist for surgery. My final appointment is 8:30 am on September 3rd and I will have my letter in hand by that afternoon. She could tell how anxiious I was to get all my documention. All I will have to do is send everything to my surgeon on that day and wait for them to submit it to the insurnace company. I'm very hopeful that I may be part of the September Samuri's... wish me luck.

Great News.. I'm very happy for you...

Sorry to hear that your date is being pushed. I was told in advance that I would have to pay the Surgeons office $350 and make my Insurance Co-payment of $250 plus pay 10% of the first $10,000 ($1,000 max) of the surgery fee. So this six month waiting period gave me the chance to save up my money.) I'm sure things will work out...

My crush isn't that much of a secret to people who know me.. Black Thought from the hip hop group The Roots and also Bass Player Wayman Tisdale. Yummy

I'm a month away from being eligble for my surgery. (This has been the longest six months in my entire life) and I want to make sure that the insurance company receives everything they need for a quick approval. Here lies my question/problem/concern. I've been going to my PCP for only about a year and of course the Nutrionist for six months. I received letters from both of them, but I realized that I've been seeing the same OB/GYN since 99. So I called to request a letter which outlines my weight since 1999 to 2008. I figures this will show the insurance company that my BMI has been above 40 for almost 10 years. Good idea right? Well my OB/GYN office is crazy . I've called and called and can't get them to write a letter. the only thing they will do is provide me with a copy of my medical recoreds. Can this be submitted, once received. I was thinking that the first sheet from each visit which shows your weight, height and BP is all I need to give to the surgeon to submit. I don't know though so for everybody who has already went through the insurance madness what do you think.. is this even worth it.. sorry for being so long in my post.